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A shocking incident took place in San Francisco’s Chinatown district, where a Waymo robotaxi, a subsidiary of Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), was vandalized and set ablaze. This episode marks one of the most severe attacks on a self-driving car, sparking widespread concerns over the safety of autonomous vehicles.
A crowd in the area surrounded the white SUV, broke its windows, and threw fireworks inside the vehicle, culminating in the entire car catching fire. The motive behind this disturbing act remains unknown.
The San Francisco Fire Department revealed, “Waymo Vehicle surrounded and then graffiti’d, windows were broken, and firework lit inside the vehicle, which ultimately caught the entire vehicle on fire,” through their social media presence, emphasizing the scale of the incident.
The local police department is actively investigating the attack, although no information has been released regarding any arrests made at this time.
Waymo clarified that the targeted vehicle, a Jaguar I-PACE, was not carrying any passengers at the time, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. The company stated, “We are working closely with local safety officials to respond to the situation.”
The unsettling incident unfolded during the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, where fireworks are commonplace. Despite the destructive act, Waymo continued to operate in the city and provided services to riders throughout the following day, coinciding with the buzz of the Super Bowl festivities.
Following the incident, concerns were raised about possible reactions related to the outcome of the Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious over the San Francisco 49ers, although no similar attacks were reported.
Regrettably, this is not the first time that a robotaxi has faced public aggression. Previous incidents include attempts by individuals to block robotaxis in San Francisco and Phoenix, Arizona, including trying to enter the vehicles, jumping on their hoods, and obstructing their sensors using orange traffic cones.
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